In a few weeks the Olympic Games will be underway. The opening ceremony will kick off the competition on July 26, but the women’s handball will start on July 25 and the men’s handball will start on July 27. The South American representatives will try to demonstrate their power in Paris 2024.
Since their first forays onto the Olympic stage, the South American handball teams have shown remarkable progress. In both the men’s and women’s categories, Argentina and Brazil have been the main representatives of the region, leaving their mark in each edition of the world’s most important sporting event.
Women’s: Brazil’s rise
Brazil’s women’s national team made its debut in Sydney 2000, beginning a journey of constant improvement and learning. Their participation in Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 was marked by a gradual evolution, although they did not advance beyond the group stage.
The real breakthrough came at London 2012, where Brazil reached the quarterfinals, proving that they were a team on the rise. In Rio 2016, as hosts, they repeated the feat of reaching the quarterfinals. In Tokyo 2020, although they did not advance beyond the group stage, their participation continued to consolidate South America’s presence in Olympic women’s handball.
The Pan American champions are going for their seventh consecutive participation in the Olympic Games and in Paris 2024 these will be their opponents in the group stage:
(Paris time)
25-7 Spain vs Brazil 12.00H
28-7 Brazil vs Hungary 07.00H
30-7 France vs Brazil 17.00H
01-8 The Netherlands vs Brazil 07.00H
03-8 Brazil vs Angola 12.00H
Brazil’s squad called up for the Olympic Games:
Goalkeepers: Barbara Arnehart, Gabriela Moreschi and Renata Arruda.
Far right: Jéssica Quintino and Adriana Cardoso.
Far left: Larissa Araújo and Ana Claudia Bolzan.
Pivots: Marcela Arounian and Tamires Araujo.
Central: Patricia Matieli.
Right side: Gabriela Bitolo and Giulia Guarieiro.
Left flank: Bruna de Paula, Jhennifer Dos Santos, Kelly Rosa, Mariane Fernandes and Samara Vieira.
Men’s: Argentina and an Olympic dream
The men’s national team of Argentina, reigning Pan American champions, debuted at London 2012 showing a promising performance although without going beyond the group stage. They repeated their participation in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, highlighting their level of play and a marked technical evolution, Los Gladiadores will seek to overcome the initial phase in Paris.
In what means Argentina’s fourth participation in the Olympic Games, these will be its opponents in the group stage:
(Paris time)
27 -7 Norway vs Argentina 14.00H
29-7 Argentina vs Hungary 19.00H
31-7 Denmark vs Argentina 19.00H
02-8 Argentina vs France 09.00H
04-8 Egypt vs Argentina 09.00H
Argentina’s squad called up for the Olympic Games:
Goalkeepers: Leonel Maciel and Juan Bar.
Extremes: Ignacio Pizarro, Federico Fernández and Santiago Baronetto.
Centerbacks: Diego Simonet, Pablo Simonet, Pedro Martínez Cami and Nicolás Bono.
Pivots: Lucas Moscariello and Gastón Mouriño.
Backs: Pablo Vainstein, Federico Pizarro, Nicolás Bonanno, James Parker, Andrés Moyano and Guillermo Fischer.
South America continues to write its history and leave its mark on Olympic handball, and the world is eagerly waiting to see how far the teams can go on their way to the top of the world sport.
Photo: CoSCABal/Germán Paez.
By Camila Miranda Torres.
